Nuclear Heart
by ParamoreXO
Summary: When Gwen's grip on her powers begins to slip as well as her hold on humanity, she's taken off assignment as an official plumber to ensure the safety of her comrades, as well as her own. The last Osmosian in all the star systems, a conning space pirate and ruthless techlord, soon becomes her only hope for control. Futuristic AU.
1. Chapter 1

**Note: **This is an AU, though many elements of this story can be found in the show. Gwen and Ben are both official and respected plumbers working off-world and are approaching the age of 21. Kevin is a 21-year-old Osmosian techlord who is known for his cunning and sarcastic wit, but most infamously for his ability to escape from what would otherwise be a "legal situation." Think Han Solo with powers.

**Pairings: **As always, Gwevin. Not quite sure if I'm going to go for Ben/Julie or Ben/Elena in later chapters.

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"I'm taking you off assignment, Gwen."

The severity of his words don't phase her at first. She's too distracted by the wavering mana signatures circulating around her. Completely overtaken by temptation, she allows them to flow through her like a clear and rapid current. The visceral rush washes up against the edges of her psyche, drowning her in rich sensations that nearly cause her to levitate involuntarily.

"What?" She questions in a light breath, acknowledging that she's just been spoken to, yet not releasing herself enough to allow his repeated statement to grasp her attention fully.

She relents, however, when the pressure of Ben's hands suddenly burden her shoulders. She's in contact with the physical plane again, anchored by him. His eyes, deeply crinkled around the edges with concern, search her face with desperation. "Where are you right now? Are you even with me?"

"I am," she admits in her struggle to ignore the raw potential of the universe. "Now. I was just... distracted."

"Right." The weight of his grip remains on top of her and his eyes flash in concern. "You've been distant lately. If something's bothering you, you can tell me, y'know."

Reaching up to lay her palms against the tops of his hands in reassurance, she offers a light smile. "I know. Nothing's wrong, Ben. My powers are just... acting up."

And suddenly, her vision goes white hot and it sears her mind.

Her lips contort into a grimace as the world gives a violent lurch that knocks her off her feet, tossing her sideways across the conference room, the brilliance of magenta manna streaking after her. A throb of pain resonates from her temples, splintering through her skull as Ben cries out to her in alarm. She's vaguely aware of a slight pressure in her back that's slowly coiling around her spine, squeezing each fissure as it spirals downwards. It doesn't concern her, however, what it could be. She's floating above it all until a mix of plumber badges and the official emblem of the space station she and Ben are currently posted at come into view.

"_All vitals stable._"

"_Energy readings leveled out. Stable._"

"_Gwen? Gwen, how do you_—_"_

"_Patience, Tennyson. She'll need time to regain her strength. Don't smother her just yet._"

The mix of voices swim in her head. When she attempts to sit up, she's slammed back into the ground by a pain so intense, it blinds her.

Once she's conscious of the world again, she finds herself surrounded by the pristine white theme of the space station's medical bay. She nearly winces at the brightness of it, but it's the excruciating ache in her bones that causes her to commit to the action instead. Gritting her teeth, she tries to ease herself back down as the sharp sensation spreads and ebs across her abdomen.

This part of the med bay housed patients in critical need of immediate care. Every other time she'd been admitted to this particular wing, it had been on visiting terms in solemn attempts to comfort and cheer up her fellow, agonized plumbers.

"What's going on?" She moans, words hoarse as they scrape over her dry tongue.

"Easy," a light tone warns. "You haven't properly healed."

"What happened?" She presses further, jaw clenching at the blazing pain. Her mind is a muddled mess of anesthetics and numbed history.

"No one's sure," a new voice chimes in. It's Ben. He sounds far off, as if his voice is carrying down a long corridor rather than from her bedside. "I asked you to stay after the conference so we could discuss something. You were having trouble focusing, then shot at me before launching yourself across the room. It's like you... _exploded _with manna. I've never seen you do that before."

A swift and ruthless bout of sickness makes her stomach flip. Her fingers curl into the sheets. "I shot at you? With a manna blast?"

"I don't think you realized what you were doing, Gwen."

"I don't understand how... I mean, I feel normal." Had another wave of nausea not passed over her in that instant, her words might have held more conviction. "Well, a little woozy, but it'll pass."

"Miss Tennyson," one of the aids timidly interjected from the foot of her bed. "You are drained. Recovery time is being enforced for you to gather your energy back."

She could hardly believe it, let alone acknowledge the notion. Mandatory bed rest? Everyone at the space station knew how hard she had worked for her position, how determined she was to end all the evils the plumbers were to face when deployed for their mission. She was supposed to be suiting up, preparing to leave!

She scarcely voiced her dread. "How... How long?"

"For now, two days." There was a sternness to Ben's answer that made Gwen doubt the duration of her recovery period. "That depends on if you check out or not. Forget about the next mission, okay? You're not going to be in the clear for it."

"You're supporting this?" Sitting up, she bares her teeth against the pain. She can feel the blood rushing to her head, coloring her cheeks with anger. "The plumbers need me, Ben! I can't be held back because of a few bruises!"

"But that's just it!" Bracing the bedside safety railing, he moves to get in her face. "Your injuries are self inflicted. You lost control, Gwen. Who's to say you won't slip up while we're away? You could get me or another plumber killed, but most of all, you're endangering yourself!"

"I... I..." the ferocity of her resolve shrank back. "I know. You're right. But how do you expect to keep up with Charmcaster if I'm not with you? She's a sorceress, Ben, not another alien you can easily beat down."

"We'll manage." Easing up on his grip on the railing, he backs away in an effort to cool down.

"Wait," she blinks hard, attempting to rid the reminiscent haze from her eyes. Everything becomes lucid. "What did you say to me? When you made me stay behind in the conference room, something about the assignment?"

"Gwen... I just can't have you out on missions anymore, okay? Not with your powers going haywire. We're giving you two days to improve, but without a teacher or another Anodite to help you, I'm not sure how long this is going to take. It took you years to get your spells down. Who's to say how long this phase will last?"

Reclining against the pillows, Gwen crosses her arms in a tiff. "You're unbelievable."

"It's not just me!" Throwing up his arms in exasperation, he causes a healer to squeak in surprise and nearly trip over a chord from a vital reading monitor. "Stop acting like I'm the bad guy, alright! The higher-ups put me to this. We're all worried about you, Gwen. You have to understand that."

And as he goes on to report to his post and leave with the rest of their team for a mission that's no longer hers, she tries her best to do just that. But it's hard when you're left to suffer on your own.

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**A/N:** **Since I don't typically do AUs, feedback would be greatly appreciated!**


	2. Chapter 2

"Mana, all the energy of the worlds, is unfortunately extremely unpredictable."

As if she didn't know that firsthand. Propping herself upright on her slightly ridiculous incline of fluffy pillows, Gwen attempts to look directly at the man sitting at her bedside without showing a hint of distaste. As much as she respects Doctor Nova's work and medical contributions to the universe, the way he would guardedly dictate his speech around her got her blood roiling.

His eyes, black and beady like a pug's, shrouded by bushy, greying brows and bunched skin, flickered between her and the holographic readout in his hands. "We traced a slight surge in the energy levels contained within the foundation around the time your blackout occurred. That may have been due to structural malfunctions within the vicinity, which can be manually traced and verified in time. What we can't know for sure, however, is if it was caused by a sudden flux in mana intake, a disruption in the universal chi, an explosive discharge on your part, subconscious spellcasting, or other mystical causes." Furrowing his brows into a single, hairy line, Nova gives her an imploring look. "Tell me, Gwendolyn, do you have full reign of your powers. Is this your true form?"

She drops his gaze, hair pooling like blood in her lap as she looks down. Her cheeks flush out all color and she bites the insides of her mouth. "No. I refuse to destroy this body for the sake of fully manifesting my powers."

"But Miss Gwendolyn!" Utterly astonished, Nova nearly loses his grip on his piece of medical tech. Gwen can't tell if he's about to let it fall to the floor or throw it at a wall. "You are nearly one and twenty! Surely you know that a mere lifeform of your design cannot withstand—"

"I know what I put at risk, Doctor Nova," she retorts, the pigment of her eyes glistening sharply like finely cut emeralds. "You need not elaborate on what I am already well aware."

"What you mean to say," Ben interjects, rising from his seat across the room as his restraint finally slips, "is that she's _destroying herself _by living like this?"

"You stay out of this, Ben!"

"Gwendolyn," the doctor begins in a tone so stiff, it demands both cousins attention, "is a skilled sorceress, an Anodite of the highest caliber, even in her current form. As a hybrid, human flesh and bone simply cannot bear such power. It is too much."

"I'm _not _destroying my body, okay?! I already get enough grief from Verdona, and I only see her once every year if she feels up to harassing me about it!" Crossing her arms, she leans back and allows herself to sag into the downy cases piled behind her. She's seething in self-righteous fury, wishing that at least one of the extra pillows she had asked for could smother her from the situation.

She's tired. Exhausted of the way everyone has been acting around her since her explosive incident, sick of not being able to leave the restricted area of the medical bay. She's completely beat despite the fact that she's been on bed rest over the past few days.

Some oxygen must have been deprived, she figures, from sinking herself on that bed. Before she can even begin to comprehend what had taken place, Ben is shaking her by the shoulders, repeatedly telling her to calm down. There are nurses rushing through the room. Monitors are wailing. The urgency around her, the wild and scared look in all their eyes says it all. She doesn't have to ask what the pandemonium is all about.

She's losing control.

**A/N: With the intention of updating this fic asap, I was consequently sidetracked by college visits and apps, the startup of senior year, work, editing for the paper, more work, 18th birthday adulthood initiation, homework… It's kind of out of control how busy I am. Apologies for a delayed update. Every chance I got, I wrote for this, so I hope the work I put into this chapter can make up for the wait. Apologies that this chapter is lacking and length and, yes, I know Kevin hasn't showed up yet. He will. No worries! His role will come into play once the plot starts picking up the pace.**

**As always, feedback would be greatly appreciated. c:**


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